College of Engineering Highlights
Points of Pride
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The college received a substantial grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to partner with Ford Motor Co. on a research project that couples biofuels with efficient automotive engines. Much of this work will be conducted in MSU’s new Energy & Automotive Research Laboratories, which officially opened on August 24, 2007.
The $10 million, 29,000-square-foot research complex more than doubles the previous space for energy and automotive research, and it facilitates the collaborative research of leading engineers and scientists who are working to realize greater fuel efficiency, collect waste heat and convert it to electricity, and develop new biobased fuels. The new complex features a powertrain lab and two engine test cells, as well as a cold room to test engine turnover in temperatures as low as -40 F.
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- In June 2007, the college dedicated its Structural Fire Testing Facility,—the first of its kind in a U.S. university setting. This new facility is expected to draw scientists from other institutions and government agencies to work collectively with faculty at MSU in developing new materials, sensors, and design methodologies that will ensure that our infrastructure withstands natural and
man-made fires. The natural gas–fueled test furnace is capable of reaching temperatures in excess of 2,200°F. It simulates the temperatures, heat transfer, and loads endured by structures in an actual fire.
- The college is slated to receive more than $12 million of the $125 million secured by MSU in partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Madison to establish the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center.
- The college was awarded $5.5 million by the U.S. Defense Department for research in advanced composite materials for air and ground vehicles.
- We received more than $10 million from Michigan’s 21st Century Jobs Fund, a $2 billion initiative aimed at bolstering the state's economy by helping create businesses that will reshape Michigan's future. The competition for these funds helped us connect with industry in ways heretofore considered difficult.
- The State of Michigan funds the Center for Nanostructured Biomimetic Interfaces, which develops nanostructured architectures that express membrane-protein activities and can be used to produce novel devices and processes. Mark Worden, professor of chemical engineering and materials science, is the PI for the project, and 4
of the 11 researchers are College of Engineering faculty.
- CSE’s Pattern Recognition and Image Processing Lab is a world leader in biometric research and technology. Biometrics refers to the automatic recognition of individuals based on their physiological (e.g., face, fingerprint, or iris) and/or behavioral (e.g., signature) characteristics. Because of increased concerns about terrorist attacks, security breaches, and financial fraud, many systems now require reliable personal recognition schemes to confirm or determine the identity of an individual.
- MSU and a major Chinese manufacturer of electric railway locomotive engines entered into an agreement to create the ZELRI-MSU Power Research Center. The center, led by Fang Peng, professor of electrical and computer engineering, will create synergy between its international research collaborations and the economic development of mid-Michigan.
- Syed Hashsham, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, is a lead researcher in the new Center for Advancing Microbial Risk Assessment (CAMRA)—
a consortium of scientists from seven universities with expertise in biosecurity, infectious disease transmission, and quantitative microbial risk assessment methods. The center provides tools needed to combat bioterrorism and ward off global outbreaks of infectious diseases.
- The Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Michigan State University was ranked 18th in the nation among all computer science graduate programs in an article published in the June 2007 issue of Communications of the ACM.
Study Abroad
Our study abroad program in Volgograd, Russia, is one of the largest study abroad programs among single-campus universities in the United States.
We also have programs in Sydney, Australia; Melbourne, Australia; Surrey, England; Aachen, Germany; Kaiserslautern, Germany; Cassino, Italy; and Lyon, France.
Visit our Engineering Study Abroad Web site.
Faculty
- Eleven patents were issued to engineering faculty in '06-'07, 27% of the total number of patents issued at MSU (41).
- Nearly every faculty member participates in undergraduate teaching.
Students
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- Last summer, more than 100 undergraduate research assistants worked side by side with graduate students and faculty in our research labs.
- The College of Engineering has produced two Churchill Scholars and eight Goldwater Scholars in the past nine years. Robert Friederichs, a materials science and engineering major, was selected as a 2007 Goldwater Scholar. He will use his scholarship to investigate potential problems associated with high wear of implant materials and alloys commonly used in hip and knee replacements.
- Biosystems engineering sophomore Michael Wiederoder was selected to receive a 2007 Department of Homeland Security Undergraduate Scholarship. His research will focus on creating biosensors that will recognize pathogenic bacteria.
- For more than 35 years, the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science has held the nation's best record for winning and placing in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) National Student Design Competition.
- James R. Von Ehr II, a 1972 computer science graduate and entrepreneur, has established the James Von Ehr Scholars Program, a $1 million endowed scholarship fund to benefit engineering undergraduates.
- Establishment of The Residential Experience for Spartan Engineering was announced in October 2007. This living and learning option will deliver cutting-edge education, hands-on learning, and residential program experience.
- The new Center for Spartan Engineering was created to assist students in attaining their career goals through research experience, cooperative education, internships, service learning, and post-graduation employment. The Center offers K-12 outreach activities as well as seamless career exploration and connections for students, alumni, employers, and faculty.
- Our graduates are recruited aggressively in Michigan and around the world by companies ranging in size from small startups to Fortune 500s. In addition, more than 250 employers and 350 undergraduates typically participate in experiential education
opportunities each year.
Research
- There are 453 active grants.
- Research expenditures for fiscal year 2007-08 totaled $29.5 million.
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